Container



CONTAINER Filed Aug. 10, 1959 K. SCHMIDT 2,178,188

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT O'FFIQE CONTAINER Karl Schmidt, Brooklyn, rioncss and Company,

New 7 York Application August 10,

Claims.

this invention has marked advantages, as shall be pointed out in detail.

In the class of pocket containers for holding loose tobacco, snuff, cigarettes, face powder, mints, and various other articles and preparations of a personal nature, numerous closure constructions have been employed. A generally satisfactory device of this type should include a fastening instrumentality adequate to insure against inadvertent opening of the closure while in the pocket or purse. Moreover, the locking means should be easy to operate and free from tendency to be fouled by the material contained. Preferably, too, the closure should fit tightly when shut so as to prevent egress of such material as face powder, as well as to prevent the passage therepast of moisture and scents which are desirably retained in, or excluded from, the material contained. In addition, the containerconstruction should be simple and inexpensive to manufacture by production methods. So far as I am 1 aware, no thusly-characterized container construction has been devised prior to my invention.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of my invention to provide a closured-container construction having extremely simple closure-fastening means which provide adequate security against inadvertent opening.

It is another object of my invention to provide a simple locking container construction which is self-sealing and past the sealing portions of which neither finely-powdered solid material nor volatile substances can readily escape.

It is, also, an object of my invention to provide a simple sealing means for hinged-lid containers, which sealing means cooperate specially with the hinge, inherently functioning to maintain the lid in either its open or its closed position, as desire-d.

'Lastly, it is an object of my invention to provide a container construction of the type defined which may be fabricated in a wide range of materials, metallic and otherwise; which is adaptvable to manufacture by hand or automatic machinery; and which is simple in design, low in cost, and sturdy in use.

Further objects and objects relating to de- N. Y., assignor to Ma- Inc., a corporation of 1939, Serial No. 289,495

tails of construction and advantages of operation will more definitely appear from the description to follow. In one instance, I attain the objects of my invention by the means and methods set forth by the following specification. My invention is clearly defined in the appended claims. A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a powder compact constructed in accordance with certain concepts of my invention;

Figure 2 is a view, in side elevation, same compact;

of the \Figure 3 is a perspective view of the illustrated compact showing the mode in which its closure lip is sprung back as the compact is opened;

Figure 4 is a View of the compact in side elevation, illustrating the closure lip sprung back and normally maintaining the lid in open, mirror-exposed position;

Figure 5 is a View of the compact with its lid depressed upon the compact body and with the sealing lip about to be snapped down into fastening and sealing relation with the body;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional View through the compact taken-on the line 5-8 of Figure 1, this view being drawn to an enlarged scale, showing the closure lip in fastening and sealing position; and

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the sealing and fastening band of the compact and taken on the line 1-7 of Figure 4.

Throughout the drawing, the same reference numerals refer to the same parts.

In a broad sense, my invention finds embodiment in a container having a closure lid hingedly secured thereto, which lid is provided with frictional fastening and sealing means consisting of a marginal lip normally depending from the lid and engaged with the adiacent marginal portion of the container body. The marginal lip is elastic in nature and so proportioned and mounted as to tend to constrict upon the .engaged portion of the container body, thereby frictionally securing the lid thereto and also providing a seal therewith approximating hermeticity. A portion of the lip is permanently secured to the container body rearwardly of the hinge axis of the lid whereby the pre-stressed resiliency of the lip normally tends to resist lifting of the lid from the container body. If, however, the lid be swung upwardly on its axis of hinging, the elastic lip is placed under considerable tension and, if forceably rolled upwardly,

will then tend to hold the lid in upwardly-swung, open position.

Referring, now, to the accompanying drawing, in which I have illustrated by invention embodied in a powder box or compact intended for miladys use, the container consists of a receptacle body composed of a bottom wall It) and a side wall portion ll, suitably covered with thin leather or fabricoid veneers l2 and [3, respectively. The receptacle body is straight across its rear edge and is provided with a slightly upstanding shelf portion II to which the lid M of the device is secured by means of small tacks l5. It will be noted that the base or bottom wall ID of the receptacle body extends outwardly slightly beyond the margins of the side wall H and the lid I 4 is similar in size and configuration. The lid I 4 is provided with an intermediate hinge portion l8 located immediately forward of the shelf H by reason of which the free or fiap portion M of the lid may be swung to open or closed position at will. An ornamental covering I l of leather or fabricoid is applied to the lid l4 and suitable ornamenting studs [8 or metal, or the like, lend attractiveness to the container and give to it a horse-shoe-simulating appearance. A tab I 9 stitched to the forward edge of the lid provides a convenient means y which the lid may be grasped for opening. Within the side wall H is provided a well 20 of conventional circular or elliptical shape adapted to receive face powder or the like in cake or finely divided form. Suitably attached to the inner surface of the lid I4 is a mirror 2! which is receivable within the well 20.

Thus described, the construction is more or less conventional. In accordance with the specific concepts of my invention, novel means are provided for securing the lid in closed position upon the receptacle body such that opening thereof may not inadvertently take place while the device is disposed in the pocket or purse of the user. These fastening means serve, also, to seal the container against loss of such finely divided material as face powder, snuff or the like, and also satisfactorily exclude access of moisture and contaminating scents which might otherwise be absorbed by the contents. This feature is especially desirable not only in the case of scented face powder, which is advantageously protected against loss of its aromatic ingredient, but also in the case of tobacco and tobacco products which are preferably isolated from contact with the atmosphere so as to preserve the initial moisture present therein.

Specifically, the sealing and fastening means illustrated consists of a thin elastic band 22 of rubber or the like having its upper portion 22 secured to the under surface of the lid l4 slightly inward of its marginal edge and having its free portion normally depending to constitute a conformable resilient flange constrictively engageable with the marginal surface of the U-shaped or arcuate portion of the side wall II of the receptacle body. By virtue of the over-extended edges of the bottom wall I!) and lid M of the container, the portion 1 I of the receptacle body assumes a chamfered form, such that the flange of the elastic band lies flush with, or slightly within the margins of said lid and bottom wall, as illustrated in Figure B. In order to complete the uniform surface marking of the container, the band 22 is preferably covered by a thin jacket 22 of leather or fabricoid which does not, however, interfere With the elasticity of its core.

The band 22 is pre-tensioned and anchored at its termini rearward of the axis of hinging of the flap [4 preferably to the straight portion of the side wall I l, and constitutes a completelyencircling covering for the side wall of the container. By virtue of the initial tension present in the band, the constrictive tendency thereof relative to the side wall is attained and the soft, conformable character of the band insures effective sealing against loss of contents or ingress of moisture, as well as definite security against inadvertent opening of the flap M In addition to the sealing and fastening functions realized by the construction set forth, the elastic band 22 serves, also, to urge the flap M to open position, when so desired. This functional feature is most clearly illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It will be seen that the flap l4, after having been initially sprung by means of the tab l9, may be swung to full-open position by theuse of the thumbs of both hands, as illustrated in Figure 3. Thus disposed, the elastic band 22 may be snapped back, or reversed, to constitute an upstanding flange, as illustrated in Figure 4, in which reversely-snapped position the inherent tension of the band is effective to retain the flap M in the open position illustrated in Figure 4, whereby the mirror 2| is conveniently disposed for use. Closure of the lid is accomplished by the simple expedient of depressing the lid to the position illustrated in Figure 5, whereupon by turning the elastic band downwardly so as to snap upon the body of the receptacle, the fastening and sealing, previously described, is realized.

I am aware that my invention is susceptible of embodiment in various shapes and sizes, and that containers embracing the salient concepts of my invention may be fabricated from various materials, metallic and non-metallic, While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to pocket and personal containers, desirably surface-ornamented in attractive finishes, the utilitarian advantages of my invention may be achieved in bare metal, plastics, and other materials, and the sealing means employed therewith may comprise either a thinly-jacketed or a naked band of rubber or similar elastic material. Where, in the specification and in the claims, the expression arcuate is employed as descriptive of the bowed disposition of the sealing and fastening band, it is to be understood that configurations of angular or cornered character, as well as of smooth curvature, are contemplated. I therefore claim my invention broadly, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A container comprising: a receptacle body member, a lid member hinged thereto and capable of being swung to open or closed position relative thereto, and fastening means for securing said hingedly-associated body and lid members against inadvertent hinging, said fastening means comprising an arcuately-disposed band of rubber or the like marginaly attached along one side edge to one of said members, frictionally engageable with the adjacent marginal portion of the other of said members, and terminally anchored under tension to said last-mentioned member at positions rearward of the axis of hinging of said members.

2. A container comprising: a receptacle body, a lid hinged thereto and capable of being swung to open or closed position relative thereto, and means for maintaining said lid in either position in the thus-constituted desired, said means comprising an arcuately-disposed band of rubber or the like edge-attached to the marginal portion of said lid forward of the hinge axis, terminally anchored under tension to said receptacle body at positions rearward of the hinge axis, and optionally manually reversible, intermediate its termini, to constitute either a receptacle-body-engaging flange of constrictive character or a pre-tensioned stay member urging said lid to open position.

3. A container comprising: a receptacle body, a lid therefor having a tie portion rigidly secured thereto and a flap member hingedly joined to said tie portion and capable of being swung to open or closed position, and means for maintaining said flap in either position desired, said means comprising an arcuately-disposed band of rubber or the like edge-attached to the marginal portion of said flap member, terminally anchored under tension to the portion of said receptacle body adjacent said tie portion and rearward of the axis of hinging of said lid and optionally manually reversible, intermediate its anchored termini, to constitute either a depending receptacle-body-engaging flange of constrictive character or a pre-tensioned upstanding stay member urging said flap member to open position.

4. A container for pocket and personal use. comprising: a shallow receptacle body having a, slight outwardly-extending base flange, a complementary lid hinged to said receptacle body the marginal edge of which lid correspondingly over-extends the receptacle body proper defining closed container a side wall of chamfered character, and means for sealing said lid against the passage of substances of searching nature, said sealing means comprising a band of rubber or the like edge-attached to the marginal portion oi said lid, lying snugly within the chamfer of the container when closed and terminally anchored under tension to the portion of said receptacle body rearward of the axis of hinging of said lid.

5. A container for pocket and personal use, comprising: a shallow receptacle body having a slight outwardly-extending base flange, a complementary lid hinged to said receptacle body the marginal edge of which lid correspondingly overextends the receptacle body proper defining in the thus-constituted closed container a side wall of chamfered character, and means for optionally maintaining said lid in either open or closed position and for sealing said lid against the leakage of searching substances when closed, said means comprising a band of rubber or equivalent soft comformable elastic material edge-attached to the marginal portion of said lid forward of its hinge axis, terminally anchored under tension to the receptacle body rearward of said hinge axis, and optionally manually reversible, forwardly intermediate its anchored termini, to constitute either a depending deceptacle-body-engaging flange constrictively disposed in the chamfer of said closed container, or a tensioned upstanding stay member urging said lid to open position relative to said receptacle body.

KARL SCHMIDT. 

